North Bay gang suspect accused of attacking man with hedge trimmer

A San Rafael man was arrested Thursday on allegations he brandished a shotgun in a gang-related fight and attacked a man with a hedge trimmer.

Luis Alberto Garcia-Vara, who turns 20 next week, was booked into Marin County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm and participating in a street gang. His bail was set at $50,000.

The incident occurred at about 9:20 p.m. Wednesday in the Canal area, where a fight broke out in a parking lot off Novato Street, said police spokeswoman Margo Rohrbacher.

Police determined that three men -- ages 20, 25 and 28 -- were attacked by a group of six or seven other men. One of the attackers allegedly pulled a short-barreled shotgun and a hedge trimmer from behind a garbage bin and struck a man with the hedge trimmer.

The three victims did not require hospital treatment.

San Rafael police identified the suspect with the gun and hedge trimmer as Garcia-Vara. He was arrested Thursday at a residence in Santa Venetia.

Police have not identified the other suspects. Investigators have recovered the hedge trimmer but not the gun.